206 
ANAS DISCORS. 
with rice, and by the common contrivance called a 
figure four , they are caught alive in hollow traps. In 
the month of April they pass through Pennsylvania for 
the north, but make little stay at that season. I have 
observed them numerous on the Hudson opposite to 
the Katskill Mountains. They rarely visit the sea 
shore. 
This species measures about fourteen inches in length, 
and twenty-two inches in extent ; the bill is long in 
proportion, and of a dark dusky slate ; the front and 
upper part of the head, are black, from the eye to the | 
chin is a large crescent of white, the rest of the head j 
and half the neck are of a dark slate, richly glossed with 
green and violet, remainder of the neck and breast 
is black or dusky, thickly marked with semicircles of 
brownish white, elegantly intersecting each other ; 
belly, pale brown, barred with dusky, in narrow lines; 
sides and vent, the same tint, spotted with oval marks 
of dusky ; flanks elegantly waved with large semicircles 
of pale brown ; sides of the vent pure white ; under tail- 
coverts, black ; back, deep brownish black, each feather 
waved with large semiovals of brownish white ; lesser 
wing-coverts, a bright light blue ; primaries, dusky 
brown ; secondaries, black ; speculum, or beauty spot, 
rich green ; tertials, edged with black or light blue, and 
streaked down their middle with white ; the tail, which 
is pointed, extends two inches beyond the wings ; legs 
and feet, yellow, the latter very small ; the two crescents 
of white, before the eyes, meet on the throat. 
The female differs in having the head and neck of a 
dull dusky slate, instead of the rich violet of the male, 
the hindhead is also whitish. The wavings on the back 
and lower parts more indistinct ; wing nearly the same 
in both. 
